The 900 MW plant will treat 880 000 cu m of water every day. It is setting new standards in terms of its environmental performance.
WSP was appointed by the Saudi Malaysian Consortium to undertake the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for the project and to develop a plan for its ongoing environmental management and monitoring.
The ESIA had to comply with the Equator Principles and meet the standards of both the Saudi Regulator (Presidency of Meteorology and Environment) and the lending banks financing the project.
Our work has established a new set of environmental benchmarks and the development of appropriate environmental mitigation has led to construction and operational costs being minimised. Key areas for which WSP provided solutions include:
- Design and operation of marine outfall to minimise impact on coral reef ecology, including water quality modelling undertaken by Danish Hydraulics Research (DHI).
- Air quality modelling of IWPP atmospheric emissions to demonstrate compliance with World Bank guidelines.
- Identification of an appropriate site and disposal option for power station fly ash
- Close cooperation with Saudi nationals from the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, to ensure a culturally sensitive approach to consultations with local community
The consortium will operate the plant for 20 years, selling water and power back to the Water and Electricity Company of Saudi Arabia. The IWPP’s performance will be closely monitored, and the environmental management and monitoring plan developed by WSP provides a sound basis for protecting the client’s investment by ensuring ongoing compliance with environmental standards.
Project information
Client: Saudi Malaysian Consortium (four partners)
Size: 900 MW Power plant; 880 000 cu m per day desalination plant
Value: £200 000
Status: completed December 2005